Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-05-27
MAKING BIG GUNS.
An Engine OF War which Mr.. Morse
VIII Give the Government.

A New York telegram TO the Philadel-
phIa Press says: Cyrus Ii. Morse IL the
name Of a mechanical engineer who Is Just
now contemplating with something AKIN to
ghoulish glee the satisfaction he VIII enjoy
In demonstrating to the Government at bis
own expense that they are throwing away
money when they contract for cannon that
will be both too massive and Ineffective.
Mr.. Morse has reference to the recent
awards by the War Department for
guns. He is OF the same family
rs the Morse OF telegraph fame, and
takes deeper interest in his calling than
is measured by financial results. lie is al.
most seventy years OF age, tall and spare,
with full gray beard and sharp gray eyes
that look out from behind PAR OF glasses.
lis hair is long and almost white, and falls
carelessly on his coat. 81 began studying
METALS" be said 10 me to-day. "when seth
Borden commenced making mlleable iron,
ncsrly fifty years ago. have spent over
100000 in making experiments, and |
think that experience at that cost is worth
something, cont yony
"Well," continued he. ~ propose 10
use this experience in making cannon
that will make the Government present
Of don't want any thing, aud am not
hunting for a Government contract either.
IL will cost $4,000 or $1,000 to make the
tube, but II nothing goes wrong | Will
have Il completed within ninety days, and
| know that it will prove a success. am
gong to Pittsburgh next week to
ste about the casting OF my sample
gun. IL | cannot get facilities there !
will have a plant Of my own. | have now
the option Of a site in the nlturll-gaS belt
near Pittsburgh and on the line OF the
Pennsylvania road. 1t is Tor company
ibat is being formed TO manufacture steel
a. commercial article alone. We will put
up big establishment rs soon as we
get organized. | am not afraid OF gas
giving out. Even II 1t should manufac-
turers would not 20 back 10 coal. ] think
they would manufacture their own fuel.
gas"
"How far have you gone, Mr.. Morse"
| asked, ain the matter OF your guns? :"
4" have just received the plans and specif-
cations from the Ordnance Department.
You remember that the Bethlehem Iron
Company were recently awarded contracts
for making the new cannon. They can't
make cannon in that establishment, though
hey say they will erect suitable plant.
II is significant that the contract is not
signed and that nothing further has been
done than the awarding OF the bids"
COSTLY WASTE OF MATERIAL.
In calculating his method Of casting steel
Mf Morse explained that unsOundness OF
ingCtS by the present processes caused much
trouble and the waste OF a great deal OF
material. The causes operating to produce
tLcse effects are-fir.t. want OF free circula-
ton OF air III the mould and the failure to
ycntilate the core for the escape OF gases
second, the generation OF gases in the
form OF bubbles sOlidifying; and third, the
bOneycOmbing by uneven contraction in
cooling, and the straining and separation
varying the texture and creating minute
cavities. His process Is that OF pouring the
metal from the bottom around a core, per-
uniting the metal to cool, thus forming, as
be claims, solid, compact following out
Of uniform de0sily and gravity.
There w9s not bid submitted to the
Government continued Nr. Morse, 4" so
far as | can learn, for hollow casting for
cannon. They all proposed boring a
solid ngot and then hopping it to the muz-
2le. Now, didn't bid, because | nave no
plant for a gun foundry, but | am going to
demonstrate that / can make 4 cannon that
vii contain less metal, cost less, and be
two thirds more elective than by the oil
syslcm OF boring ingots. do not propose
10 'bOOp the muZZle' Of any cannon that
j. turned ont under my supervision"
What KIND OF metal will you usc:" |
asked Mr. Morse. "Open.belrth steel"
he ansg cred. cit is the only thing lit to
ordnance from. They made
Damascus blades out Of Open-helrth steel,
and no improvement has ever been made in
them through hundreds OF years, though
there has been upon the furnace. besSemer
metal is worthless Tor cannon, though il is
the best in the world for rails. The
trouble is that it has no settled standard
and you cannot count on 1t for density.
That is the reason why it ia worthless
for ordnance. / have never made any eau
non by this process. but have an order on
hand for steel gun twenty feet long with
two-inch bore. II i for the holders Of the
Lyman patent prOiectile. and they claim
they can sink vessel with the prOiectile
from their gun nine miles at sea with the
gun on o dCad-leyel line. Their patent Is
on the explosive and cartridges, while mine
is on the material and in the method OF
making the weapon.
AN INTERESTING EXPERIMENT.
"EXperiments were made at Creedmoor
Dy the Ll mans year OF so ago. luey LOOK
three rifie-barrels, Joined them together,
making one long tube. Then they loaded
il with one OF their cartridges and fired at
a target composed Of five thicknesses OF 3-lG
boier-plate, and the ball, made OF tool steel,
pierced every plate"
"Wbat is the size Of the gun YOU propose
TO the Government?
Mr.. Morse drew a thick roll OF paper
from drawer and, spreading it out on a
table, said These specifications call for a
gun seventeen feet six inches long. six-inch
bore, shell two inches in diameter, with a
hoop and jacket three inches in diameter.
The dime nsiOns in full are siX-inch bore,
sixteen inches in diameter, and eighteen
feet long. The weight named in the Gov
eminent plans will be one third more than
10y gum"
To nVAW HID WInnW